Rally the corgi has sniffed out the best Christmas events for kids in Clifton for 2026, and here is what he found: 3 family events. They are Gingerbread House Craft (December 1), Downtown Clifton Photo with Santa (December 5) and Storytime With Mrs. Claus and Photos with Santa (December 17). We check every date on the host’s own website, and each listing links straight there. For the rest of the state, see our New Jersey Christmas events for kids guide.
What Rally found in Clifton
- 3 Christmas events for kids in Clifton
- Meet Santa: Downtown Clifton Photo with Santa (December 5) and Storytime With Mrs. Claus and Photos with Santa (December 17)
- Also on the list: 1 story time and 2 craft workshops
- Season: December 1 (Gingerbread House Craft) to December 17 (Storytime With Mrs. Claus and Photos with Santa)
- Every date checked on the host’s own site on Nov 10
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Ticketed and paid Christmas events for kids in Clifton
Admission, tickets or a fee apply. Where a host has not posted a price yet, the listing says so.
Holiday crafts
Gingerbread House Craft
- When: Tuesday, December 1, 2026, 6:30 to 7:30 pm
- Where: Clifton Memorial Library, Community Room A & B, 292 Piaget Ave, Clifton, NJ 07011 (opens in maps)
- Cost: No price listed on the organizer's page; bring a tub of icing and a bag of candy
- Ages: Ages 4 and up
Expand to see the parent tip
Children decorate their own gingerbread house in the library's Community Room A and B. The library calls this its traditional winter program and supplies most of the materials, while each family brings a tub of icing and a bag of candy that goes into a shared pile of decorations.
The craft runs Tuesday, December 1, 2026 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Clifton Memorial Library and is for children ages 4 and up. Registration opens at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, November 17, 2026. The page does not list a price.
Parent tip: Put the November 17 registration opening on your calendar, and shop for the icing and candy ahead of time since the hour starts at 6:30 on a school night.
- Host
- Clifton Public Library (opens in a new tab)
- Address
- Clifton Memorial Library, Community Room A & B, 292 Piaget Ave, Clifton, NJ 07011 (opens in maps)
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
New Clifton events every week
Rally researches Christmas events in Clifton daily and updates this page with new events. Enter your email to get a weekly update with new events in Clifton.
Free. Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy policy (opens in a new tab)
Rally’s Christmas research
Rally the corgi has 2 more Clifton events researched for you.
- New events every week We research new events daily and send you one email a week with the new ones we find in Clifton.
- Exclusive access to free events Find the free Christmas events in Clifton before they fill up.
- Unlock the filters Find Santa visits, free events and weekend plans in one tap.
- Rally’s Christmas Eve Express and a free advent calendar Get early access to Rally the corgi’s Christmas Eve tracker, plus a free digital advent calendar to count down to Christmas.
- One-tap add to calendar Save any event to your Google, Apple or Outlook calendar so you never miss it.
Coming up on this page
- 2 Santa
- 2 Crafts
- 1 Story time
Enter your email to get new Christmas events in Clifton every week.
Santa visit
Downtown Clifton Photo with Santa
- When: Saturday, December 5, 2026, 11 am to 2 pm
- Where: Clifton Memorial Library, Community Room A & B, 292 Piaget Ave, Clifton, NJ 07011 (opens in maps)
- Cost: No price listed on the organizer's page
Expand to see the parent tip
Santa sits for photos in Community Room A and B at Clifton Memorial Library in a session that carries the Downtown Clifton name. The library's calendar lists it as an in-person event and gives no further description.
It is scheduled for Saturday, December 5, 2026 from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The listing does not mention a price, an age range or registration, so check with the library before you go if any of those matter to you.
Parent tip: The window is three hours over a Saturday lunchtime, so feed little ones first and bring your own phone or camera in case photos are not provided, since the page does not say.
- Host
- Clifton Public Library (opens in a new tab)
- Address
- Clifton Memorial Library, Community Room A & B, 292 Piaget Ave, Clifton, NJ 07011 (opens in maps)
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
New Clifton events every week
Rally researches Christmas events in Clifton daily and updates this page with new events. Enter your email to get a weekly update with new events in Clifton.
Free. Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy policy (opens in a new tab)
Santa and Mrs. Claus
Storytime With Mrs. Claus and Photos with Santa
- When: Thursday, December 17, 2026, 4:30 to 7:30 pm (Storytime with Mrs. Claus 4:30 to 5:15 p.m., photos with Santa 5:15 to 7:15 p.m.)
- Where: Clifton Memorial Library, Community Room A & B, 292 Piaget Ave, Clifton, NJ 07011 (opens in maps)
- Cost: No price listed on the organizer's page
- Ages: All ages
Expand to see the parent tip
The evening comes in two parts. First Mrs. Claus reads a few of her holiday picks, leads songs and rhymes, poses for pictures and hands out goody bags donated by the Clifton Recreation Department. Then Downtown Clifton sponsors a craft table and a visit with Santa, where kids can share wishes, take photos and collect another goody bag.
It takes place Thursday, December 17, 2026 at Clifton Memorial Library, with storytime from 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. and Santa photos from 5:15 to 7:15 p.m. Both parts are for children of all ages and their families. Registration opens at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, December 3, 2026.
Parent tip: The storytime is only 45 minutes and comes first, so arrive by 4:30 if Mrs. Claus is the draw. The Santa portion lasts two hours, which gives you room to come after an early dinner.
- Host
- Clifton Public Library (opens in a new tab)
- Address
- Clifton Memorial Library, Community Room A & B, 292 Piaget Ave, Clifton, NJ 07011 (opens in maps)
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
New Clifton events every week
Rally researches Christmas events in Clifton daily and updates this page with new events. Enter your email to get a weekly update with new events in Clifton.
Free. Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy policy (opens in a new tab)
We check every event above on the host’s own page for the date, time and cost, plus the things parents ask about, like sign-ups and ages. Looking for a Santa train instead? Those are on our New Jersey Christmas train rides page.
See every event on a December calendar
Plan your December
When each Clifton Christmas event for kids happens
The first is Gingerbread House Craft in Clifton on December 1; the last runs to December 17. Each bar spans an event’s dates, not every hour in them, so check the host’s page for times.
- Gingerbread House CraftClifton · Dec 1
- Downtown Clifton Photo with SantaClifton · Dec 5
- Storytime With Mrs. Claus and Photos with SantaClifton · Dec 17
Looking further afield? Our New Jersey Christmas events for kids guide lists every event we have found in the state, and we have city guides for Wallington, Lyndhurst, Hasbrouck Heights and Glen Ridge. The national search sorts every event by distance from your town.
A story for the drive home
A morning with Santa or an evening of holiday stories tends to end the same way: tired kids, a long drive and one more book before bed. Our picture book follows Rally the corgi on his first train ride to see his grand-paw-rents, and every page is painted by hand. If your family is spending December missing someone, it was written for that too. For the car, print our free corgi and train coloring pages.
A bedtime story after seeing SantaRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi’s first ride on a California train, hand-painted in watercolor. $16.99 on Amazon, ages 0 to 8.
Buy on Amazon2026 Christmas events are coming in late November
More Christmas events arrive in late November. We add them here as soon as we confirm them.
The story of Christmas in Clifton
Giraffes, camels and musk oxen once waited out their first weeks in America in Clifton, at a federal animal quarantine station whose old barns now house the Clifton Arts Center. These days the December visitors are Santa and Mrs. Claus, who come to Clifton Memorial Library for photos, stories and crafts.
How Clifton celebrates
Christmas for Clifton families gathers at Clifton Memorial Library on Piaget Avenue, where the Children's Department uses Community Room A and B for three December programs. The season opens on December 1 with the Gingerbread House Craft, which the library calls its traditional winter program. On December 5 the room hosts the Downtown Clifton Photo with Santa. On December 17 the library joins Downtown Clifton and the Clifton Recreation Department for Storytime With Mrs. Claus and Photos with Santa, an evening of read-alouds, songs, a craft and goody bags for the children who come.
Fun facts about Christmas in Clifton
Clifton was incorporated as a city on April 26, 1917, replacing Acquackanonk Township after a referendum held two days earlier. Its name comes from the cliffs of Garrett Mountain, which borders the Albion Place neighborhood on the city's western side. The 2020 census counted 90,296 residents, making Clifton the 11th most populous municipality in New Jersey. From 1900 to 1979 the Clifton Animal Quarantine Station, served by the Newark Branch of the Erie-Lackawanna Railroad, inspected more than 95 percent of the cloven-hooved animals entering the United States.
Traditions today
- Gingerbread House Craft: The library describes this as its traditional winter program, with children ages 4 and up decorating houses using icing and candy that families bring to share.
- Downtown Clifton Photo with Santa: Santa sits for photos in the library's Community Room A and B on the first Saturday of December 2026.
- Storytime With Mrs. Claus: Mrs. Claus reads holiday stories, sings songs and shares rhymes before children line up for pictures and goody bags from the Clifton Recreation Department.
- A craft and a visit with Santa: After the storytime, Downtown Clifton sponsors a craft and a Santa visit where children share their wishes and take home a goody bag.
A fact for kids
Zoo animals coming to America used to stop in Clifton first. Giraffes, camels, antelopes and musk oxen all stayed at the quarantine station there to make sure they were healthy.
Questions about Christmas in Clifton
When did Clifton become a city?
Clifton was incorporated as a city on April 26, 1917 by an act of the New Jersey Legislature, replacing Acquackanonk Township after a referendum held two days earlier. Documented European settlement in the area goes back to 1679, when a Lenape leader deeded 11,000 acres along the Passaic River to Hans Frederick.
How did Clifton get its name?
The name comes from the cliffs of Garrett Mountain, which borders the Albion Place neighborhood in the western part of the city. Albion Place is mostly residential and sits next to Garret Mountain Reservation in the northwestern corner of Clifton.
What was the Clifton Animal Quarantine Station?
It was a U.S. Department of Agriculture station where animals brought into the country were held to make sure they carried no diseases. It operated in Clifton until the late 1970s, when the work moved to Stewart International Airport. Two of its former barns became the Clifton Arts Center.
How big is Clifton?
The 2020 census counted 90,296 people in Clifton, which ranks it 11th among New Jersey municipalities by population. The city covers 11.43 square miles in Passaic County and sits about 15 miles west of Midtown Manhattan, with the Passaic River along part of its northeastern edge.
What happens at Christmas for kids in Clifton?
Clifton Memorial Library has three programs on its December 2026 calendar: the Gingerbread House Craft on December 1, the Downtown Clifton Photo with Santa on December 5, and Storytime With Mrs. Claus and Photos with Santa on December 17, which also includes a craft and goody bags.
Where are Clifton's library Christmas events held?
All three take place in Community Room A and B at Clifton Memorial Library, a branch of the Clifton Public Library at 292 Piaget Avenue. The library's calendar lists each one as an in-person program, with the Children's Department named as the event organizer.
Who organizes the Christmas programs at the Clifton library?
The library's Children's Department is listed as organizer. The December 17 evening is a partnership with Downtown Clifton and the Clifton Recreation Department: the Recreation Department donates goody bags for the Mrs. Claus storytime, and Downtown Clifton sponsors the craft and Santa visit that follow.
Does Clifton have a railroad connection?
Yes. The federal animal quarantine station that operated in Clifton was served by the Newark Branch of the Erie-Lackawanna Railroad. Today the city has two train stations, one in the centrally located Athenia neighborhood and one in Delawanna in the southeastern corner.
Are there still farms in Clifton?
A few. Ploch's Farm has been family run since 1867 and sells fruits and vegetables in August and September. City Green Farm Eco Center is a nonprofit organic farm on the former Schultheis Farm site, and Richfield Farms is a family-run farm and garden center dating to 1917.
What should families bring to the Gingerbread House Craft?
The library asks each family to bring a tub of icing and a bag of candy to share for decorating, and it supplies the rest of the materials. The program is for children ages 4 and up, and registration opens at 10:00 a.m. on November 17, 2026.
Sources
- Clifton, New Jersey, Wikipedia
- Gingerbread House Craft, Clifton Public Library
- Downtown Clifton Photo with Santa, Clifton Public Library
- Storytime With Mrs. Claus and Photos with Santa, Clifton Public Library
Keep the Christmas magic going: track Rally the corgi on Christmas Eve, print free Christmas coloring pages, learn how to say Merry Christmas in 100+ languages, find train museums to visit with kids, or browse Christmas events in every New Jersey city.
Clifton Christmas events for kids: questions parents ask
What are the best Christmas events for kids in Clifton, NJ to start with?
Start with Storytime With Mrs. Claus and Photos with Santa on Thursday, December 17, 2026 at Clifton Memorial Library, since it packs stories, a craft and a Santa visit into one evening. Families with children ages 4 and up can add the Gingerbread House Craft on Tuesday, December 1.
Are there free Christmas events for kids in Clifton?
None of the three library listings states a price or says the event is free, so we have not marked them as free. All three are held at Clifton Memorial Library on Piaget Avenue. For the Gingerbread House Craft on December 1, families are asked to bring a tub of icing and a bag of candy to share.
Where can kids meet Santa in Clifton?
Santa is at Clifton Memorial Library twice in December 2026. The Downtown Clifton Photo with Santa runs Saturday, December 5 from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., and Photos with Santa follow the Mrs. Claus storytime on Thursday, December 17 from 5:15 to 7:15 p.m. Both are in Community Room A and B.
Is there a Christmas story time in Clifton?
Yes. Mrs. Claus reads holiday stories, sings songs and shares rhymes on Thursday, December 17, 2026 from 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. at Clifton Memorial Library. Children can meet her, take pictures and pick up goody bags donated by the Clifton Recreation Department.
Which Clifton Christmas events need sign-up?
The library's page for the Gingerbread House Craft says registration opens at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, November 17, 2026. Registration for Storytime With Mrs. Claus and Photos with Santa opens at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, December 3. The December 5 photo listing does not mention registration.
Who is behind the Santa events at the Clifton library?
The December 17 evening is described as a partnership with Downtown Clifton and the Clifton Recreation Department. Downtown Clifton sponsors the craft and Santa photo portion, and its name is also on the December 5 photo session. The Recreation Department donates the goody bags handed out at the Mrs. Claus storytime.
Are there Christmas train rides for kids near Clifton?
Santa trains and holiday train rides have their own guide: Rally Takes the Train’s New Jersey Christmas train rides guide. This Clifton guide covers Santa visits, story times, light shows and other events off the rails.
How do you confirm these events?
We list an event only after we find this season’s date on the host’s own website or an official city or tourism calendar. We last checked every listing on November 10, 2026. Hosts change details, so always confirm on the host’s page before you go.
Event names belong to their hosts. Rally Takes the Train is a family picture book and is not affiliated with, sponsored by or endorsed by any host listed here. Confirm dates, times and prices on each host’s own site before you go.